Uxmal – Yucatan
About an hours bus ride from Merida is the ancient city of Uxmal. Spanning at least 10 square kilometers, Uxmal´s prominence was between AD 800 and 1000. The ruins are vast and include a great pyramid that is the first to greet you upon arrival. It is believed that the Maya populated the area from AD 600, however after 1000 when the Toltec took the Yucatan area the capital was moved to Chichen Itza and construction was ceased at Uxmal. I found this site to be particularly well preserved.
Beyond the main pyramid also known as the ¨Pyramid of the Wizard¨, lies the Nunnery Quadrangle. The name was given to the complex because a Spanish Explorer thought that it looked like a Spanish Nunnery.
Many of the reliefs have long since be destroyed (both by man and time), but some remain and really give a clear picture of the craftsmanship of the ancient cizilization.
The south entrance to the Nunnery looks out onto the Ball court and beyond that the ¨Governers Palace¨ lies raised on a small hill overlooking the site. To the west is the Pyramid of the sun which (if you can be bothered to climb it, and I suggest you do) give a great overview of the area.
I have been to many ruins across the globe and this rates among the best. While there were a lot of people there it is manageable and this is coming from someone that thinks 1 person other than me at a ruin is too many, however the vastness of the site allows you to stay to yourself enough to enjoy the ruins. Of course for those of you that prefer a guide yapping in your ear as you walk around there is guided tours available in most languages ranging from 500 to 900 pesos, although I cannot comment on there quality as I prefer the quiet.
Overall It’s a wonderfull site that I would recommend to anyone in or travelling to the Yucatan area.
Modelo Especial
Country: Mexico
Alcohol: 4.5%
I’m not exactly sure what makes these beer “special”, to me this is simply another beer with a watery aftertaste without any distinguishing flavour. On top of that it’s not the most economical beer here in Mexico.
Overall, I would say that if you have a choice, give this beer a miss. If you are like me however, and have the “Try every beer once” attitude towards life, you will be disappointed with its lack of body and finish.
My Rating: 2.5/5
Best Tacos in Mexico
Miguel doing his thing
Out front of Al Trompito stands Miguel wielding his blade at the rotating meat that makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
Al Trompito is located at Londres #199 in the Zona Rosa of Mexico City. The restaurant is very basic, however when the clock hits 4pm there is rarely a vacant seat in the house.
The Worlds Largest Pyramid, Cholula
Cholula is a city in the state of Puebla, located about 15km from the previously mentioned Puebla City.
Cholula was an important pre columbian city going back as far as the 2nd century BC.
The most famous feature in Cholula is the Great Pyramid of Cholola which by volume is the largest pyramid in the world.
Construction of the pyramid complex begun in the 3rd Century BC and last until the 9th century AD. It was constructed in 4 stages built over what was already there.
As well as being the largest pyramid in the world it is also the largest man made monument. The Great Pyramid of Giza, Eygpt, is taller, but by volume it is a great deal smaller. The pyramid of Cholula has an estimated volume of 4.5 million m3 where as the Pyramid of Giza weighs in at around 2.5 million m3.
Underneath the pyramid archaeologists have uncovered almost 8km of tunnels which you are free to explore.
Atop the pyramid is the “Church of our lady Remedies” that was built by the the Spanish in colonial time about 1594.
Review – Nikon D60
Nikon D60
I was given this camera as a gift and it quickly became my prized possession.
Shooting with the D60 is a great experience, its ease of use combined with the quality attainable makes this camera a perfect entry level DSLR.
It boasts multiple shooting modes with various output qualities, I prefer to shoot in RAW + JPEG and find the quality and light information on the RAW images to be great.
Beer of The Week
Negro Modelo
Country: Mexico
Alcohol %: 5.3%
Negro Modelo is another Mexican beer brewed by Grupo Modelo . As the name would suggest it is a dark beer or as expressed in Mexico “Oscura”
This beer has much more body than the “Clara” lagers of Mexico and finishes with a medium to strong malt aftertaste.
The bottle itself summons a sense of grandeur, it is a stubbier bottle than most and is tinted dark with a golden foil sealing the opening.
I would suggest this beer to even the most picky of connoisseurs as its body carries well and finishes strong leaving you wanting for more.
My rating 4.5/5
Paseo de la Reforma
Part 1
Anyone who has been to Mexico City will have been down the Paseo de la Reforma. It is a 12 kilometre strip that is adorned on the side with statues and monuments. The most famous statue on Reforma is el Àngel, el Àngel is such a grand statue that it deserves a entry all on its own, so stay tuned for more on that.
This post is the first part of a multi part gallery of the sites of Paseo de la Reforma. So hit the link below to see the first part of the gallery, enjoy!
Restaurant of the Week
Ventura Cafe – Zona Rosa
Positioned in the centre of Zona Rosa is this fantasic breakfast spot. Being on the corner of Hamburgo and Genova makes this place a top spot for a cheap breakfast as well as the perfect position for some people watching.
Although they do serve other meals, this spot has become a breakfast favourite for us, with the high quality of the food and reasonable prices. You can have mexican style breakfasts or for those who prefer a plain breakfast you can have pancakes, but don’t expect real maple syrup.
Puebla
The city of Puebla is located in the state of Puebla and is slightly over 110 kilometres southeast of Mexico City.
Puebla was founded on April 16, 1531 and currently has a population of 1,485,941. The metropolitan area of the city extends over 10 municipalities of the state including the city of Cholula.
Chapultepec Zoo
Built in 1923 by Mexican biologist Alfonso Luis Herrera, the “Zoologico de Chapultepec” is the largest of four zoos near Mexico City.
We visited the zoo on a Sunday afternoon and were pleasantly suppressed when we found out that admission was free, however due to this the crowds make it difficult to get close to some of the displays.
